Some of the best waterfowl hunting in the nation. Learn and share your experiences duck hunting in the Republic of Texas. From the Canada geese of the Panhandle to the Snows of Houston and estuaries for ducks on the coast and the livestock impoundments to the west.

So to the fellow I listened to Saturday morning constantly go through the classic come backs and hail calls would you please leave your mallard call in your pocket for the majority of your trip when you come to the coast. Please consider buying one or more of the following: a pintail whistle, a 5 in one whistle, a teal call or a gadwall call. Learn to use your mallard call as a single cluck (gadwall and spoonies), a quiet feed call and learn to modify it for divers (a much reduced brrrr).

granted your mallard call did great calling in those redheads.

Also when there is little to no wind please realize your conversation carries a good 300 plus yards. And yes when you come in after someone else and they flash their q beam at you it means you are setting up a little too close.

Last weekend of the split i took a friend out on his first duck hunt. five minutes til a truck pulled up on the bank behind us. They proceeded to get out, loud as can be then try and start a conversation with me about where I'd possibly seen some duck weed. then they try and launch their jon boat, loud as can be. Mind you, first shooting minutes are now passing and ducks are dropping in on us. They finally get their boat in deep enough to get somewhat floating. Then they get to pulling on the pull start to their outboard, won't turn. So they are still looking like the keystone cops pulling away at the cord,drifting away and finally get. Than they stop not too far away. Aaaargh, if it hadn't had looked so crazy and they weren't youngsters I would have said something but I held my tongue. Needless to say i told my buddy it is not supposed to start like that.

I actually shot at a group of 5 mallards outside Rockport Sunday. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was choked up and missed every shot but the green head white neck on 3 of the 5 birds was unmistakeable at 10 yds. And we weren't calling at all, they just dumped in out of nowhere.

Using a mallard call in the area isn't all that crazy...those ducks spend all year together, and sometimes respond very well. I'm sure we've all had Redheads, Ringneck, Pintail, Gadwall, Widgeon, Teal, Wood Ducks etc come in feet down over mallard decoys while sending out a few quacks to draw attention to our spread.

Also...there is a location along the Texas coast, locals say it holds mallards when daytime temps remain cold. It's an area between two islands one big & one small. One is named after a type of horse, and the other famous for fishing in the fall. To simply tell you the exact location would be a sham...I would rather be struck by a rock than tell you where they can be found.